sacrifice was judged necessary; and as no captives were at hand, Pomare caused one of his own servants to be killed as soon as they reached the shore. The people of Atehuru at once flew to arms, swept through the district of Pare, contiguous to that of Matavai, put to the sword every living creature that fell into their hands, and gave to the flames everything that would burn. They then withdrew into their own territory with their plunder, but announced their intention to return without delay to pillage the missionary settlement.

Their fell purpose, however, was thwarted by several unforeseen events that worked together for the preservation of the Christian teachers. Not only had six sailors been recently landed under the command of Captain Bishop, in order to purchase pigs and salt pork for Port Jackson, but a vessel was wrecked in the bay, and a further reinforcement of seventeen well-armed Englishmen -for both crew and cargo were saved-was added to the little garrison. The rebels at first carried all before them. A flotilla from Aimeo, indeed, brought over two or three hundred warriors to Pomare's aid, who were joined by the people of Pare; but their combined forces were attacked, routed, and driven in confusion into the Matavai district. All would then have been lost but for the firm attitude assumed by Captain Bishop, who, with a body of seamen, checked the onward rush of the victors, and gave the vanquished time to rally in his rear. The Atehuruans thereupon proposed to cede Matavai and the two ravaged districts to the southward to the English, threatening otherwise to force a passage through, with club and spear. It was resolved to accept the proffered terms, on the ratification of which the rebels retired from Matavai, and,

after offering to Oro the bodies of their fallen enemies, crossed the isthmus, and marched to Tautira.

While these stirring events were passing in one peninsula, Otu and Pomare in the other had been wasting their time in striving to propitiate their stolen god by human sacrifices. While thus engaged, they were surprised and driven to their canoes by the enemy, who, after a sanguinary resistance, recovered possession of their idol, which they carried off in triumph to Atehuru.

As it was now certain that the missionary settlement would be the next object of attack, the two ship-captains promptly set to work to put the place in a state of defence. The trees were all cut down, the enclosures of the garden destroyed, and a stout palisade planted round the mission-house. Boards bristling with nails were buried in the paths leading to the post-no mean annoyance to barefooted men dashing recklessly forward. The chapel was pulled down; four brass cannon saved from the wreck were placed in the upper rooms, and the verandah was protected by a barrier of chests, bedding, &c. &c. Though non-combatants, the missionaries could not refuse to take their turn of sentry-duty by night as well as by day; and for the unfortunate ladies, cooped up with so many seamen in one house, in addition to their own over-numerous party, it may be readily imagined that they had to endure much discomfort and privation, as well as the most painful solicitude.

To make matters still worse, Pomare inflamed the minds of the rebels to the highest degree of fury by perpetrating an act of monstrous barbarity. Receiving intelligence that Atehuru had been left unguarded except by a few sick and aged men, he secretly despatched a

Rout of the Rebels.

55

nocturnal expedition, which fell upon the village in the darkness of night, and murdered nearly two hundred women and children, with their defenceless male companions, in the brief space of a couple of hours. For a time, however, the rebels were constrained to postpone their vengeance, for just then the Nautilus returned, and Captain Bishop, with twenty-three Europeans and a fourpounder, accompanied Pomare in an attack upon the insurgents. The latter might have come off scatheless had they been contented to remain in their almost impregnable fastness; but in an evil moment they were drawn out by the taunts of their adversaries, and, on encountering the English, were seized with a panic and fled. Seventeen of their warriors, including their leader, were made prisoners, and immolated on the spot, their dead bodies being horribly disfigured and mutilated. As their stronghold appeared inaccessible, Captain Bishop returned to Matavai, and shortly afterwards all the British seamen quitted the island. Pomare thereupon fixed his headquarters on the borders of Pare, and hostilities were temporarily suspended.

Taking advantage of this breathing-time, the missionaries again enclosed and replanted their garden, and resumed their seemingly fruitless task of imparting instruction alike to children and adults. The natives, on their part, continued as inattentive as before, but became more audacious in their pilferings, until one of them, being caught in the act, was publicly flogged by the king's orders. The year 1802 was approaching its expiration when Messrs Jefferson and Scott started on a preaching tour through the island. On the score of hospitality they had little to complain of, and personally they were gene